Stella's Good News & A Snake Visitor

It was quite a day today and not the typical Monday. About the time I thought the day was over and the excitement gone, a certain visitor highlighted this typical hot summer day in 'the tropics'. Heidi let me know I still had painting to finish inside the carport.

All of us love hot weather when it gets here. Heidi likes it so much that she will dump tanks after lunch, sprint from the middle of the front yard to the driveway, then slowly inspect the driveway for any strange scent she can identify.

In the 6 years I've had her I have never seen her sprint up the drive nor even trot up the driveway but she arrives back at the door eventually. She looks very good for this time of year, when the pollen is out in full force for those with allergies.

The morning walk went fine, Stella was on her own and caused no problems, in fact she kept up with Sadie for most of the walk and then followed behind me the last 1/4 of the way. 

We were loading up the Mini Cooper for a trip to the vet. We were checking her weight since her last vet trip on April 21st and she was going to get a blood test to see if her organs are working properly and if her stats were good internally.

Her good news ... she has gained 5.4 pounds !!! The BEST news is that her blood work came back clean and everything is working as it should internally.

As we walked out to the car, just as I closed the door I realized I did not have my car keys with me, therefore I did not have my house key. I have not made a 2nd spare key to keep outside for times like these because that spare key that came with the new door knob is on my Z4 key ring.

I had locked us out of the house with no spare key. The car keys were inside.

The excitement didn't end there. After some clear thinking I was able to 'break into' my house without any damage. All the windows were closed due to the AC running, so they were not an option. But ... as I pulled out of the driveway onto the highway my warning light for the rear door came on.

I was certain I heard it latch, it did not look open from the outside and then I realized what I had done. I stopped as soon as I could in a parking lot to check it out. When the keyfob would not unlock the back door, or even click I knew the Mexican blanket I had put in for Stella to lay on was either under the door or in the latch. I found out at the vet, the blanket had moved over the latch when the door closed. Once I pulled it out, the rear door worked perfectly.

With the temps near 90°, all of us spent the afternoon inside enjoying the AC. It ice tea for me, water and naps for the hounds ... around 5:30pm Sadie was at my desk giving me her stare for "I want to go on a walk", even though it was 89°. Looking a few hours in the future it was going to only drop 2° so I thought we would give it a try.

All three of us walked right by, right over our late afternoon visitor ... a snake.

Sadie and Stella never stopped and headed straight into the field. For some reason I stopped to take a look what I just walked by and at first I thought it was a strange piece of wood that shows up out of nowhere. After a closer look I see that the snake is just as curious about who interrupted his nap.

It was 6" to the right of "Winston's Patio" red blocks. I figured that by the time we got back (hopefully) that the snake would leave and find another place to sun himself. That is the first snake I've seen in a lot of years around the house.

Both hounds didn't care about the snake and they didn't care about the temperature either ... they were leaving me behind on the walk.

Right after we got back from our morning walk around 9am, a truck pulling a trailer of equipment was parked on the side of the highway blocking my driveway. I thought they were having some mechanical problems but soon they were offloading their equipment.

I thought it was equipment that was used for ditch digging by the DOT. Maybe they would be digging a new drainage ditch in the field next to my property that would lead into my culvert.

I was wrong ... more trucks and more equipment were heading up the driveway of my neighbors house. Of course, I had to go over and check out what the plan was gong to be.

She told me the three beautiful soft Maple trees, transplanted from the 'homestead' when her husband's dad built the house in 1955, were being trimmed. She claimed they were tired of picking up all of the sticks that the storms would blow down and a couple of the trees had possible rotting tree limbs.

Not until I was on the hound walk did I see how ugly the trimming job turned out to be. When I walked over this morning, there were 3 full green maple trees just like the one pictured.

By the end of the day the middle tree had been cut completely down, while the one on the right was trimmed down to nothing. I realize it's a necessity at times but I always hate to see beautiful trees end up like this.

Still, Sadie was onto other and better things ... identifying scent.

Stella took the lead for most of the walk. She wasn't fast but persistent, almost as if it was too hot to walk and she couldn't wait to get back to the house.

Sadie was locked in with her nose to the ground and her tail wagging.

I was surprised that it did not feel as hot as the thermometer and my iPhone was showing. There was a slight breeze from the NE. It was nice and hot but not what I would call blazing hot ... there were no second thoughts about take the walk now instead of at 8pm.

What I would consider the halfway point, the hounds are feeling the effects of 89°. Their tongues hang out, their pace slows down and they stay near me on the path.

As we turned left for the final leg of the walk ... Stella stopped as always to scratch herself and then headed our way to catch up.

I am now feeding her 6 measured cups of dry kibble per day, split between breakfast and lunch. The vet was happy with the 5 pounds of weight gain and was encouraged by the clean blood work. I felt much better about her situation after seeing those two results.

Yes, I do think she would prefer to stay inside with the AC than walking in the afternoons. Maybe I'll try that tomorrow and just walk with Sadie in the afternoon.

Sadie finally saw some of the parked tree equipment next door and for a few seconds I thought she was going to take off in that direction to check it out a little closer.

With both hounds lagging behind so close to the end of the walk I was hoping they would keep themselves occupied so I could walk ahead and see if the snake was still there. If it was, I planned to pick him/her up with a rake and move him/her into the field.

I guess snakes would be something I might have to live with if I decided to stop mowing my yard and letting it look like the field. I'm not sure how it would look being that close to the highway amongst three other houses that mow their grass like a golf course fairway ... but it does interest me for some strange reason.

With the hounds still busy I hurried my pace to see if the snake was still there. I was happy to see he had left for a better place, wherever that was. I checked everywhere in the carport, behind the two trash cans, under the cars ... but the snake was gone and the hounds would not have any kind of confrontation on their return home.

With everything so green around here, this leaf stood out like a shining star. I always wonder if there is a message behind something like that when it happens, but that's just me.

I did not have to call the hounds to come in. As I walked back out into the yard Sadie realized that I wasn't around and started sprinting for the house. Stella looked up and trotted for a few steps behind her.

Sadie went straight to her early evening sleeping spot under the coffee table.

While Stella 'cruised' in and curled up behind my desk chair as I downloaded the photos from the Nikon, and put this post together.

For taking photos I like the late afternoon light much better than our 8am walks. I cut my yard last Friday but late Sunday I had an idea to cut it one blade adjustment lower. I didn't like what it did or looked so I left the front yard cut a little higher. I'd rather have it a little taller and greener than short and brown.

Turns out it did not matter that I bought my new iMac a couple of weeks ago. Apple came out with their annual announcement about new products and upgrades today. The only thing dealing with the iMac model is that they are making one for the professional user and businesses. So what I have is good for work here at home.

I can't picture another day as exciting as this one ... but I will focus on those house keys anytime I am driving somewhere. I'll also keep an eye out for our visitor in case he/she wants to come back and visit the hounds.

Beautiful weather here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

Stella Regains Total Freedom This Morning

It really wasn't planned until soon after the walk started this morning. We started our morning a few hours later today because I was up last night until the wee hours of the morning looking through Pinterest. It was the first time I had ever really looked at all the info that was on that website. Stella didn't mind the late start ... she could tell she was going to have a good day today.

Sadie likes to start her day by searching for that black cat that I saw weeks ago but she has never seen. She knows it has been through 'her' yard and she wants to make sure the cats and the moles are not out and about when she is in the yard. At least she does not dig for moles ... but she can smell them.

Once again Stella trotted past me as I stepped into the field, to catch up to Sadie. It wasn't a run but fast enough that I could not catch her on camera. That is good to see. It leans her situation to the more positive side when wondering if/what is wrong with her.

Sadie was so anxious to get started on the walk that she stopped and looked at Stella and I wondering what the hold up was. She had places to go and scents to check out and after all we were a couple of hours late this morning.

I could tell as soon as Stella stopped and very early in the walk that she wasn't going to move. With the high temps of 86° yesterday, it was already hot and muggy as I waited for her. It was at that time I thought to myself "why not" ???  Let's end the 'adult supervision' on her walk and let her do what she wants at her own pace.

Since she was not running these past few months it would be doubtful she would take off chasing deer if she saw them. Her walking pace has slowed down from 'slow' to 'slower', so I was pretty sure that she wouldn't get too far once me and Sadie were on our way back home.

While Sadie and I approached the first turn I looked back to see if there were any signs of Stella running toward us. As you can see, she may have been heading our direction but the tall grass made it hard to find her. I figured there would be two spots I'd find her on the way back and I was willing to let her roam on her own today ... for the first time in a couple of months.

Sadie charged on not even waiting for me to catch up. I had to zoom the camera lens to even get this close to her.

She also did a final check to see if her 'partner in crime' was coming. She could do what I couldn't to get her answer ... smell and listen for Stella.

Just as she got very interested in the spot where she was standing I heard what I assumed was a rabbit making it's escape with the sounds coming from the wooded area. It was loud with something running away, so maybe it was something besides a rabbit.

As Sadie and I neared the back edge of the field, I turned to check on Stella. I did not expect to see any signs of her and I could tell from this angle it would be hard to see her once we started our return home. Although the center of the lower part of the field isn't nearly as tall as it is near the backyard or this photo angle.

As Sadie walked along side of me along the back ... I could tell the heat was getting to her. It was in the high 70's but felt muggy.

As we turned for home I told Sadie "go find Stella" ... she took off and then stopped to smell the air, hoping to pick up Stella's scent.

I had expected to find Stella in the center of the field or over by the neighbor's woods. Lately with the field so wet in the shaded area, we have been cutting down the center of the field in the sunshine toward the north edge of my yard, where the tall grass is a little dryer. From that path I would be able to see Stella.

What a shock it was to glance left of me along the path we take 'out' to the field when I saw 'moving red' ... it was Stella. She had moved no farther than from the edge of the tree line on the right side of the picture to where she is seen now.

She was as surprised to see me as I was her ... she started a slow trot my direction. I don't think Sadie saw her because she was heading up the return path toward home.

Since bloodhounds feel that the earth spins on their time and everybody should adjust their own schedules to theirs, it was no surprise to see her trot right past me and head up the return path as if we were going to start the walk over, so she could finish the 1/2 mile trek.

She even veered in the direction of the neighbors house but followed along the side of me once I called her name.

Since Sadie and I were back on Stella's pace it took probably as much time to walk from here to the house as it did for Sadie and I to do the majority of the walk. There is always enough new scents to check out even in the end.

Sadie was in a hurry to get back inside where it was cooler, while Stella never sped up. That's fine with me ... I was happy to see her active and enjoying herself.

It's too bad that the floods occurred a few weeks ago, where they had to plow under the damage and replant corn in the brown area. Turning right behind the trees is where the majority of this field lies. It goes for almost a half mile and all of that was replanted.

This field is to the left across the one lane gravel road. It was the 'field of yellow' ... wild mustard flowers. Once the floods overtook the field, this is what is left. I can't tell if they went in and cut some of it down while we were taking a siesta here at the house ... but I wonder if they plan on planting anything. Shows you how much I know about farming (nada .. zip) when I ask a question like that.

I also have the same question about the field behind the one we walk in. What are they waiting on or are they going to give the land a year off from producing crops?

Everybody is in the mowing mood today. While writing this post I heard tractors so I grabbed the camera in just enough time to catch the 2nd one doing what the state highway department will do months from now ... mowing the grass between his field and the highway.

The other person that was mowing yesterday and today, is my new neighbor. He moved in the past few days and comes with an interesting story. Before I relay that info, he has mowed the large yard back as low as the ground, looking like a brown fairway on a Midwestern golf course in August. I like it lower but it will need some rain to look good again.

When I saw the U-Haul truck on Thursday I stopped by on my way back from the early morning trip to the hardware store, to introduce myself and see if he needed any help. I'll not go into detail of our conversation but hit the main points that you might find interesting ... and gives me reason to believe maybe I am living in a pretty nice place that I have taken for granted after all these years.

He is from Louisiana and works in the oil fields in Texas. In the past he had worked at the large government base nearby and loved this area. So he decided to move back 'up here' and 'work down there'. That's quite a commute from 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana to the oil fields in Texas.

From his new Ford F-150 to all the toys he brought with him ... it looks like oil jobs are still paying good income.  LOL

So far the hounds have stood and looked in that direction since they are seeing activity next door for the first time in 3 years. I'll have to keep an close eye on Stella because she looks as if she could take off running after that ATV, as if she and an ATV has some sort of past.

You'll notice some new blogs added to the sidebar later. They are the blogs and websites I found late last night that led me to Pinterest and signing up for a account. I'll use that site for collecting info but I have no plans of posting photos of my hounds there.

With the thermometer heading for 88° again today, the AC will kick on automatically. It was turned on for the first time of the year yesterday. Whenever I notice the hounds panting inside with the windows open that's a sign it's time to batten down the hatches on turn on the AC full-time.

Heidi is going to get a bath today and will enjoy the cool water rinse after that warm warm washes the shampoo off.

I cannot get over this fantastic weather here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.